Education Briefings for Candidates for Office In 2008 Testing and Accountability www.ncforum.org

It Is Not an Exaggeration to Look at North Carolina Education Having Two Major Phases . . . Pre-Testing & Accountability (i.e., before 1989) And Post-Testing & Accountability (1989 to today)

The Post-Testing Era . . . Schools Are Held Accountable for Performance of All Students. The Pressure is On to Succeed With Students Who Have Historically Not Succeeded in Schools. The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation has raised the accountability bar even higher.

Troubling Trends In Recent Scores NC Student Performance Across All Subjects Is Flat or Dropping Problems with Falling Scores After Introduction of New EOG/EOC Tests and Scoring Benchmarks

Math tests and standards become more challenging Start of ABCs model Data from DPI’s reporting tools for disaggregated student performance (http://disag.ncpublicschools.org/2007); search based on composite math/reading schools for grades 3-8

Let’s Take a Quick Look at NC’s Testing Program: The State ABC Program 1) Is a “growth” model 2) Provides financial incentives & consequences

Major Provisions of the “No Child Left Behind” Legislation NCLB Will Hold Schools Accountable for: Average performance of ALL students and 9 subgroups White Students Black Student Native American Students Asian/Pacific Islander Students Hispanic Students Multiracial Students Student with Disabilities Limited English Proficiency Students Economically Disadvantaged Students (free and reduced-priced lunch) 95% of students in a subgroup must be tested Attendance (elementary & middle) or graduation rates (high school)

Taken from DPI’s schedule for achieving AYP benchmarks under NCLB; this information schedule will remain constant through 2014 or until the reauthorization/amendment of the NCLB Act

ABCs v. NCLB YES NO* NO Components ABCs (1996) NCLB (2002) Growth model YES NO* Financial Incentives for Student Performance NO Consequences for Student Performance *NC is one of US Dept. of Education pilots for growth models.

Sharon Elementary School School DID Make AYP Met 9 of 9 targets (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools) All White 95% Reading  95% Math Reading Math Attendance Data from NC School Report Card, http://www.ncschoolreportcard.org/src/

Crown Point El. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg) Crown Point Elementary School School DID NOT Make AYP & Must Offer School Choice School met 26 (96.3%) of 27 goals Crown Point El. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg) All Black Hispanic White ED LEP SWD 95% Reading  95% Math Reading n/a Math NO Attendance Data from NC School Report Card, http://www.ncschoolreportcard.org/src/

Lexington Middle School DID NOT Make AYP & Must Offer School Choice 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 27/31=87.1% 31/33=93.9% 29/29=100% Students w/ Disabilities Reading Limited English Proficient Math Hispanic Asian Data from NC School Report Card, http://www.ncschoolreportcard.org/src/

Data from DPI’s reporting tools for disaggregated student performance (http://disag.ncpublicschools.org/2007); search based on composite reading schools for grades 3-8

Data from DPI’s reporting tools for disaggregated student performance (http://disag.ncpublicschools.org/2007); search based on composite math schools for grades 3-8

NC’s Gains on SAT Scores Lead the Nation NC data from DPI’s 2007 SAT report, http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/reporting/sat/2007; US data from College Board

While NC’s ABCs Accountability Program Is Ranked Among the Nation’s Best, Critics Are Quick to Point Out That . . . Schools Seem Overly Focused on Preparing for “the Tests” Subjects Not Tested (art, music, foreign languages, science, etc.) At the Elementary or Middle School Level Are Under-emphasized Planned High School Exit Exams Could Drive Drop Out Rates Up

“Framework for Change” Adopted by State Board in June Ends statewide writing tests Requires review of curricula and tests in alignment with 21st Century educational goals Broadens high schools’ assessment measures to include graduation rates, Graduation Projects, etc. Moves to a 5-year graduation rate for measuring AYP

John Dornan jdornan@ncforum.org 919-781-6833 www.ncforum.org